How to Monitor Chat Sessions and Block Online Predators with ContentBarrier

How can you monitor chats and block online predators to protect your children? If you've installed ContentBarrier, you have powerful parental control software that enables you to monitor chats, and you're on the right path to protect your child from online predators. Intego ContentBarrier can monitor Internet chat sessions to make sure your child isn’t having an inappropriate conversation with a stranger. With its AntiPredator function, you can enable ContentBarrier to block predatory language in chat sessions. Once any objectionable terminology has been used, the chat sessions can be shut down and you’ll be notified so you can educate your children about being safe and smart online.

So, let's get started! Here's how to set up chat monitoring and block online predators.

Using ContentBarrier: Chat Filtering

ContentBarrier lets you filter or block chat sessions, and offers a powerful function to protect your children when using chat programs such as iChat, ICQ or AIM instant messaging software. The AntiPredator function filters chat texts for predatory language - that is, suggestive language asking for personal information. This includes such questions as "are you home alone?" and "what is your phone number?"

To enable chat filtering, select the user you wish to control in the left column, and then click the Chat button. As with web filtering, you have three options: Allow all chats and Block chats (which needs no explanation), and Block suspicious phrases with AntiPredator, which we will examine.

ContentBarrier’s AntiPredator comes with a set of basic text strings as filters for incoming data, and several languages are available. You can choose to display all filters, filters in a specific language, or just custom filters that you add to the list either by:

• Pressing your keyboard’s Control key while clicking on a phrase, or, • Right-click on the phrase if your mouse allows this action.

By default, all the AntiPredator phrases are active when you turn on chat filtering. You can disable any of them if you wish by unchecking them; or, by selecting them and choosing the Allow selected phrases command found in the contextual menu, which is displayed by clicking them and holding your keyboard's Control key, or by right-clicking them.

While ContentBarrier contains an extensive list of text strings to be filtered, you can also add your own words and phrases. You could add, for example, your address or phone number, as well as any other personal information you feel should be protected.

To add a filter for either Incoming or Outgoing data, click the + button. A new line displays at the top of the filter list. Enter the word, phrase or sentence you wish to filter, and enable it if desired by checking the box to its left.

Click the menu in the Kind column and select whether you want this text to be filtered for incoming chats, outgoing chats, or both.

Note that it is best to filter the shortest possible texts. ContentBarrier looks for the exact text you have entered in the filter, and, if someone in a chat types it differently, it will not be blocked. For example, rather than enter "my phone number is 555-1999," it is best to enter just "555-1999."

Need Help Using ContentBarrier?

If you still have questions about using our ContentBarrier software, please check our ContentBarrier Knowledge Base for answers to the most common questions by clicking the link below: